JOSH Thewlis has scored a first hat-trick of tries in his fledgling professional rugby league career.
The notable landmark was achieved by the 20-year-old from Grasscroft in Warrington Wolves’ 32-10 win against Huddersfield Giants.
It earned Thewlis the man-of-the-match award and a bottle of champagne as a reward for the efforts of the former junior at Waterhead Warriors.
Unlike football where hat-trick scorers get to claim the match ball, that does not happen in rugby league.
“I just got a pat on the back, though it was nice to be man of the match,” explained the former pupil from St Edwards RC Primary, Lees.
Thewlis, who also went to St Damian’s RC Science College, Ashton, admitted his treble came as a surprise, explaining: “I was surreal and something I thought would never happen and looking back it was pretty mad.
“I had never scored more than one try in a game, so it was special to get three against Giants.”
Though Wolves have made a patchy start under new coach Daryl Powell, Thewlis is enjoying his best-ever season.
The full-back/winger, who made his debut in 2019, has scored six of his 12 first team tries in the current campaign.
And he puts down his fine form to the new coaching team of Powell and his assistants Ryan Sheridan and Danny Evans.
“Daryl has had a positive effect on my career as I am getting more game time and playing in my favoured position of full back and putting in decent performances,” he explained.
“Danny’s focus is on the young lads, which includes myself, and he picks things for me to work on.”
Thewlis has been at Wolves since the age of 15, though he began playing at Waterhead where he spent more than a decade.
“I was aged four when I started but trained in the Under-7s with my older brother Joe,” he said.
And there was praise for Andrew Atherton, Craig Doyle and Joe Hibbert who coached him in the juniors saying they were all influential in his development and helped shape him to become the player he is today.
Thewlis still helps at Warriors with the U12s who are coached by his uncle Kieran Brown.
Thewlis, is his fourth season as a full-time player with Wolves, added the team is getting use to Powell.
He said: “Each coach is very different, but we are starting to come to terms with what Daryl wants.
“In the first few weeks we were worried. We weren’t playing well, and things were getting on top of us.
“Daryl put an emphasis on playing with a smile on our faces and enjoying our rugby and results have started to improve.”
Thewlis has been part of a sizeable Saddleworth contingent at Wolves which today comprises younger brother Jake, who is playing in the academy and for the reserves, and teenager Tom Whitehead who is recovering from ankle surgery.
There were two other lads on the playing staff but Eribe Doro has joined Widnes Vikings on a season-long loan while Nathan Roebuck moved at the end of the season to Keighley Cougars.
When Josh and Jake have days off, they can often be found putting in a shift with dad Kevin who has his own building company.
“We are lugging bricks and blocks which is good physical work, but we still have to go into the gym,” explained Josh.
“The building company is our plan B. I started a joinery course at college but have had to put that on hold after going full time with Wolves.”
Well done, Josh. Just a pity it had to be against the Giants!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!